A top Ministry Of Defence chauffeur from Scotland is likely to lose his job after he was caught driving at double the speed limit on a Scottish borders road.

41-year-old Phillip Gower has received a 9-month driving ban as a result of being clocked driving at 125mph on his Yamaha motorbike on a road with a speed limit of 60mph last October.

Driving alongside the chauffeur was his friend, fire fighter Steven McIntyre. 30-year-old McIntyre was caught travelling at 135mph and was handed a 12 month driving ban as a result. The court heard that unlike the chauffeur, McIntyre was not likely to lose his job as a result of his crime.

Gower, a father-of-six, is a chauffeur with the MOD and during his official service he’s chauffeured top dignitaries visiting Scotland. Last year Gower was said to have transported The King of Tonga while visiting the country on official business.

As a chauffeur, Gower’s defence solicitor described him as “first class” and “well thought of” at the MOD.

The two drivers received fines of £450 on top of their driving bans. The court accepted both men’s not guilty pleas to the charge of dangerous driving by racing against each other.

The A704 between Edinburgh and Biggar where the two men were caught breaking the speed limit on their motorbikes has hit the headlines before for excessive use of speed. A motorist was jailed last year after being caught travelling at the fastest road speed recorded on a Scottish highway of 166mph.